The Impact of Technology on Foodservice Operations

The Impact of Technology on Foodservice Operations

Posted on 11th Jan 2019

Technology is constantly evolving in hospitals and nursing homes. Implementing new technology has been shown to improve employee productivity, increase patient satisfaction, reduce clinical errors and improve treatment methods. Let’s take a look at how the following technological advancements are shaping the healthcare industry:

Electronic Health Records (EHR)

The ability to record and exchange health information electronically is thought to improve the quality and efficiency of health care. It has the potential to increase coordination of care across a wide variety of providers, decrease the duplication of lab tests and allow providers quick access to health information.

In 2010, only 17% of residential care communities in the United States used electronic health records.

Residential care communities that used electronic health records were more likely to be larger, not-for-profit, chain affiliated or collocated with another care setting and in a nonmetropolitan statistical area.

The iPad = Portability

The iPad has eliminated the need for paper charting when documenting patient information and helps to engage patients by providing them with access to their own personal health record and lab testing results. It also makes it easier for doctors and other healthcare professional to work on the go and communicate more directly with the patient’s care team. The iPad provides a way for healthcare professionals to research topics and new medical advances when they do not have access to a computer. This allows for information to be widely available between patient and healthcare team, which therefore increases patient satisfaction and the overall outcomes.

Electronic nutrient analysis

In some foodservice operations, an electronic nutritional analysis is becoming more popular. This analysis can calculate exactly what and how much of a food item should be placed on a resident’s tray by accessing each individual resident’s nutrition profile and then producing an individual meal ticket. The resident profile contains important information like calorie intake, allergies, dietary restrictions and likes or dislikes. This technology gets rid of the need for an employee to decide what food items should be placed on each tray, and therefore, avoids potential human error.

For foodservice management, this same technology offers the tools necessary to execute cost analysis, control production and eliminate waste. Let’s say, for example, that a menu is released for the day. Each patient/resident will select a version of the menu that satisfies their required diet, electronically. The amount of food selected is tallied up and communicated to the kitchen so that they know how much to prepare. This process increases the efficiency of production and decreases overall food costs within a foodservice operation.

What is your experience with new technology in the healthcare world? Feel free to message us on our contact page and let us know. You may be featured on our social media accounts!

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